I started judo several weeks ago. So far I've been shown de ashi hari, osoto gari, ouichi gari, seoi nage, and tai otoshi. I am able to do only a couple in real time against the other students.

The grappling techniques I have been shown are yoko shiho gatame, kata gatame, kami shiho gatame, and kesa gatame. I have relatively good success holding people and transitioning with these pins because of my grappling experience.

My main problem is using too much force and not being relaxed enough. I want to try and over power people too much.

I remember this advice from prizewriter.

Quote: One word of advice: RELAX!!!!

Edited by BrianS (11/14/0709:25 PM)

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The2nd ammendment, it makes all the others possible. <///<

My main problem is using too much force and not being relaxed enough. I want to try and over power people too much.

Hey Brian, I have a similar problem to you on the ground. When I am holding down my opponent, I tend to use all my force to try and keep them in that position. More experienced guys are much better at using their opponent's escape attempts to transition into a stronger hold down or submission. You are right, it's all about relaxing, because I am too focused on muscling my techniques from thin air, than using my opponent's momentum.

I have absolutely no natural talent for it, and I learn so much slower in this class than almost any other MA I've taken. Even worse, I've only been able to make class once a week.

But soon, I'll be taking it twice a week, and improving twice as fast! ... Or rather, half as slow. =P

I'm on the small side, so trying to muscle my way through things doesn't work at all. I've learned this... And yet, in Judo, all of the grip fighting and stuff seems to coerce me to try to use brute force. I get tossed a lot.

Anyway, I'll be reading your log to!

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The early bird gets the worm, yet it is the second mouse who gets the cheese.

Today I did much better at randori,but I was lacking in the groundwork. I managed to get myself submitted once by armbar. During randori I was told to "take the fall" instead of trying to brace myself with my arm. I have a natural will not to be thrown or to take a fall at all,lol, imagine that!

There is a lot of conditioning in our class. I find myself really worn out by the time we get to the actual contact. I'm sure there is a reason. We do the same things to the students in karate. Wear them plum out before they spar, less likely to be injured, and better techniques in the end.

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The2nd ammendment, it makes all the others possible. <///<

Generally when grading or competiting, you can have quite a few matches within a very short period of time. My local Judo association usually makes a Judoka perform in 5/6 matches for Shodan, match time is set at five minutes a match. That is potentially 25-30 minutes of Judo... pretty tiring to say the least! By making you perform when you are tired, you get use to the energy levels a Judo grading/comp takes.

Another reason may be the whole relaxation thing... it is easier said than done. Believe me, I know!

When you are tired, you don't have the strength/energy to use force. So you have to conserve your energy, you have to use relaxed movements in order to get anywhere. If it does not sound like too much of a paradox, it is like a "forced relaxation". You have to perform Judo in a relaxed way because you don't have the steam to do anything else!!